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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24989758">Eddy Mason, Jr. Chicago, 1917</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsabellaMonsoon/pseuds/IsabellaMonsoon'>IsabellaMonsoon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Twilight Series - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:00:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,227</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24989758</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsabellaMonsoon/pseuds/IsabellaMonsoon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Following the death of Edward Mason Sr, Eddy meets a mysterious woman, also mourning a recently deceased parent. Later, Eddy lays in the hospital, dying of the Spanish flu.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Cullen/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Eddy Mason, Jr. Chicago, 1917</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The year is 1917. Edward "Eddy" Mason Jr. was a junior in his Chicago suburb high school. The great war was raging on with no end in sight, with a strange new sickness raging a similar war through the populations of Europe and the US. Our story begins shortly after Eddy's father's funeral, when he runs into a beautiful woman.</p><p>It was a dreary Tuesday when Edward Mason Sr. was laid to rest at the Mount Hope Cemetery. His wife, Elizabeth, and son, Edward Jr. were walking back to the limousine when something, or rather someone, caught his eye.</p><p>"You go ahead, mom, I'll just be a moment," Eddy said. He had noticed a young woman sitting on the ground next to a gravestone a few plots over. During the entirety of his father's service, his eyes kept drifting towards her face. She was sitting there, reading a book (Wuthering Heights?), and whispering passages to the gravestone. She looked so peaceful yet, somehow, happy. In this gloomy place filled with death, happiness seemed out of place. After the service ended, he gave in to the irresistible pull that led him towards this woman. She looked about the same age as him, but he didn't recognize her from school or church.</p><p>"Are you reading Wuthering Heights? That's one of my favourite books," Eddy said as he walked up to her with his hands in his jacket pockets. His pale skin looked even paler because of the heavy weight of the clouds overhead.</p><p>"Um, yeah. It is. This is the first time I'm reading it. Don't know how I feel about it, though." She folded her book and put it in her lap.</p><p>"May I ask why you're reading it to a gravestone? If that isn't too forward." Eddy's curiosity couldn't stand any more chitchat.</p><p>"I'm reading it to my mom. It was her favourite book." She looked over at the gravestone and Eddy took it in for the first time. Julia Evans, 1875-1917. Beloved Mother, Wife, Daughter, and Teacher. May She Rest in Peace. Eddy suddenly felt like he was intruding on an intimate family moment.</p><p>"That's very kind of you to still read to her. Was it the flu?"</p><p>"Yes. Three months ago."</p><p>"Same with my father, but just a week ago."</p><p>"I'm sorry to hear that. It's tough." She looked down at her book, and over to her mother.</p><p>"Yeah. I'm sorry I disturbed you. You just looked so peaceful and I wanted to introduce myself. I'm Eddy, by the way. Edward Mason, Jr." He began to hold out his hand for her but remembered that shaking hands was unsanitary, and shoved it back in his pocket.</p><p>"Sarah. Sarah Evans. Do you live around here?"</p><p>"Sort of. We live in Orland Park. Where are you from?"</p><p>"We used to live in Denver but moved here last year when my grandma got sick. She died in January, and my mom followed a few months later. So it's just me and my dad. It's been a difficult transition."</p><p>Eddy chuckled darkly. "I think I'm beginning to understand what you're going through. It's only been a week since he died, but my dad was sick for a few weeks before that. As soon as he went to the hospital, it was like he was already gone. I don't know what I'm going to do without him" Why was he sharing this much with a stranger? Why did he feel that pull towards her, like he could tell her anything and she would understand? This girl was a complete stranger, but he felt like he had known her for a hundred years.</p><p>"Eddy! Hurry along, dear. We have to go to the wake," his mother called from the road.</p><p>"You'd better get going. You're all she has left, and my mother is waiting for me to continue reading." She held up her book but didn't take her eyes from Eddy's face. Her eyes were a deep shade of emerald green, almost the same colour of his own eyes, but with the intensity of a lighthouse, keeping his gaze locked to hers.</p><p>"Yes, I shouldn't keep her waiting." He meant to do something else, but couldn't think what it was. He couldn't think of anything but the colour of her eyes. He forced himself to shake his head so as to break the connection.</p><p>"I'll see you around," Sarah said while opening her book.</p><p>"You will?" Eddy asked.</p><p>"Probably. Now go to your mother." Eddy felt compelled to follow her command.</p><p>He turned and walked back to his mother waiting in the limo.</p><p>"Do you know her?" Elizabeth asked.</p><p>"No," Eddy said mournfully.</p><p>"Alright, son. Driver, back to the house, please."</p><p>A few months later, Elizabeth whispered to a hot young doctor, with the last of her breath, "You must do everything in your power. What others cannot do, that is what you must do for my Edward.."</p><p>The doctor held her hand as the light left her eyes.</p><p>Eddy laid on his hospital bed, fighting for each breath. The young, hot doctor came into his room.</p><p>"Eddy, how are you feeling?" the doctor asked with his honey voice that perfectly matched his honey eyes.</p><p>"Still… here…." Eddy wheezed.</p><p>"Good. That's good to hear." He could tell that there weren't many breaths left. "I'm going to ask you some yes or no questions. Just nod or shake your head; don't try to talk. Alright?"</p><p>Eddy nodded.</p><p>"Are you hungry?" Eddy shook his head and the doctor made a note in his chart.</p><p>"Do you feel you could sit up?" Eddy shook his head, but weaker this time.</p><p>The doctor felt something ache deep within him. He had resisted the urge for so many years but he could feel his resolve weaken along with every breath Eddy took. He knew he shouldn't, but he had made a promise to Elizabeth on her deathbed. He could do something to save her son, if only he had the guts to actually do it.</p><p>"Do you want to get better?" This was a silly question. Of course, Eddy would want to get better. He was just looking for a moral loophole. Eddy hadn't answered for a moment while he thought about his answer, or was he gathering his strength?</p><p>Slowly, he nodded his head.</p><p>"If I could save you, change your life forever, would you want me to?" This was shaky territory. What about his oath to do no harm? This was about the most harm the doctor could think of causing to a human being. But he still felt compelled to ask.</p><p>Eddy slowly nodded his head.</p><p>"Alright," the doctor said. "Do you have anything you want to say first?"</p><p>Eddy was silent for a moment before rasping, "Sa… Sa..."</p><p>"Yes," the doctor said, "I will save you." He turned to draw the curtain fully around the bed.</p><p>"Sa… Sar…"</p><p>"Shhhh. It'll be over soon. You'll be better in a few days. Trust me." The doctor made sure the ward was quiet before lowering his mouth to Eddy's neck.</p><p>In the women's ward, Sarah sat up in her bed, almost fully recovered from her illness. She had been waiting for the hot, young doctor to return with news of her fiance. Until then, she would continue to read Wuthering Heights for the third time.</p>
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